DSB reinstates student, approves transferThe Dardanelle School Board reinstated a previously expelled student and approved a petition for a student transfer from Two Rivers School District to Dardanelle School District at its monthly meeting Monday evening. The board also authorized the administration to obtain sealed bids for selling two portable buildings, to proceed with the process of appraising Hillside property on Liberty Road and to initiate the bid process for a food service ...

Central Arkansas changes setup for move-in day CONWAY (AP) — The University of Central Arkansas has set two moving times for incoming freshmen, hoping to avoid the traffic jams that developed last year when many tried to move in at the same time. Freshmen move-in day is Sunday, and the school expects about 2,000 new students. New dormitory residents will move in during the morning or afternoon, depending on their room assignments. “Last year, we had a bit of trouble getting people unloaded...

Students gaining real-world experienceBishop Bass and Whitney Lewis, two University of the Ozarks business students, spent their summer helping the Clarksville-Johnson County Chamber of Commerce with community marketing efforts. Bass, a junior management major from Greenwood, and Lewis, a senior management/administration major from Clarksville, are working with Chamber CEO Travis Stephens this summer to revamp and expand the Chamber’s marketing efforts. “Whitney and I both have in...

Not vacation: Summer learning programs crucial WASHINGTON (AP) — For many students and teachers, summer vacation was more like summer term. Reading lists. Science camps. Portfolio development. The to-do list for kids and teachers sound remarkably alike. Schools are on the hook to improve student performance on high-stakes tests, administrators are eyeing more science and technology instruction, and parents are demanding more for their children. Some studies suggest students lose as much as...

Hawaii schools struggle to keep new teachers WAIANAE, Hawaii (AP) — Jonathan Sager was an idealistic 22-year-old recent college graduate when he arrived in Hawaii in 2006, yearning to make a difference in the lives of children in hardscrabble neighborhoods like those on the Waianae Coast. About an hour’s drive from bustling Honolulu, the stretch of unspoiled beaches and looming mountains is home to a high concentration of Native Hawaiians and some of the state’s lowest-performing schools...

Obama signs student loan deal, says job isn’t done WASHINGTON (AP) — President Barack Obama signed into law Friday a measure restoring lower interest rates for student loans, pledging the hard-fought compromise would be just the first step in a broader, concerted fight to rein in the costs of a college education. Encircled by lawmakers from both parties in the Oval Office, Obama praised Democrats and Republicans alike for agreeing — finally — on what he called a sensible, reasonable approach t...

Gettin’ schooledMORRILTON — In a time where job security is a valid concern for many, some local students have taken strides to ensure their future career opportunities at the University of Arkansas Community College at Morrilton. Patrick Veverka of Atkins previously worked as a truck driver before he decided to change his profession to welding and enrolled in the program at UACCM. He is pleased with the progress he has made so far. “The instructors have been...

City Council approves new Dover SRODOVER — The Dover City Council approved a new school resource officer for the school district at its Tuesday meeting. Dover Mayor Pat Johnson said the council approved Darin Kirkland as the school district’s SRO. Kirkland, 45, of Russellville had previously worked as the SRO for Pope County through the sheriff’s office and as a part-time officer with the Dover Marshal’s Office. Kirkland said the transition will be “smooth as silk.” “I’m famili...

School bus safety urged as students return LITTLE ROCK (AP) — The Arkansas Education Department is starting a program to urge motorists to be careful around school buses. Classes resume this month across the state and the department is starting a campaign on Monday called, “Flashing Red, Kids Ahead.” The three-week campaign will emphasize that it is illegal for a driver to pass a stopped school whenever its red lights are flashing and students are loading or unloading. Education Commis...

Crawford school hires best friendsKrystal Shipp and Kelli Couch met at kindergarten pre-registration at Crawford Elementary School in 1990 and instantly became best friends. Twenty-two years later, both ladies are back at Crawford, but this time as teachers. Shipp, 28, has taught kindergarten at Crawford for three years and Couch, 28, was hired in July to teach second grade. “I was in Wal-Mart when I found out I got the job,” Couch said. “Krystal was the first person I called....

SGA helps ATU become greenerAn investment by the Arkansas Tech University Student Government Association (SGA) will provide students, faculty and staff with a way to be more healthy and environmentally responsible during the upcoming academic year. A filtered water bottle filling station, which was funded by $1,500 from the SGA, has been installed at the Doc Bryan Student Services Center. The unit comes equipped with a counter that measures the amount of reduced waste th...

Better Beginnings helps prepare kidsThe Russellville School District Preschool Program, which is rated at the highest three-star level in Better Beginnings, is accepting applications for the 2013-14 school year. “We operate on a first-come, first-served basis,” Jenny Barber, RSD federal programs coordinator, said. “We are not age-prioritized. We have the license capacity for more than 160 kids, but we adhere to the Arkansas Better Chance one-to-10 ratio. This year, we have room ...

Group: Apps not effective tool for teaching babies WASHINGTON (AP) — Smartphones don’t make smart babies, an advocacy group declared Wednesday in a complaint to the government about mobile apps that claim to help babies learn. The Campaign for a Commercial-Free Childhood, whose allegations against “Baby Einstein” videos eventually led to nationwide consumer refunds, is urging federal regulators to examine the marketing practices of Fisher-Price’s “Laugh & Learn” mobile apps and Open Solutions’...

CDC: First national sign of childhood obesity drop ATLANTA (AP) — For many years, doctors have been wringing their hands as more and more U.S. children grew fat. Now, that may be changing, with the first evidence of a national decline in childhood obesity. In 18 states, there were at least slight drops in obesity for low-income preschoolers, health officials said Tuesday. After decades on the rise, childhood obesity rates recently have essentially been flat. A few places — Philadelphia, New Yo...

Clarksville School District flouts disclosure lawsThe Clarksville School District on Tuesday declined to release the names of employees who were furnished firearms to carry on campus, despite an attorney general's opinion saying the information is not exempt from state disclosure laws. In a response to a Freedom of Information Act request submitted last week by The Courier, Little Rock attorney Jay Bequette said Monday the district would not release the names of 22 employees who each received...

Safety Spot films 100th episodeCLARKSVILLE — Sparkles’ Safety Spot, a television show that strives to raise awareness about fire safety and is broadcast via a live stream from Clarksville, filmed its 100th episode on Aug. 2. Firefighter Dayna Hilton, executive director of the Keep Kids Fire Safe program, said she was impressed with the number of viewers who tuned in for the episode. “It went really well,” she said. “Everything was just perfect. We had people from all over —...

ATU works to make starting college easierThe Chinese philosopher Laozi observed that a journey of a thousand miles begins with a single step. College is a great place to gain that kind of knowledge and much more, but many prospective students are unsure about how to take their first step on the journey to the life-changing benefits of a college degree. Shauna Donnell, assistant vice president for enrollment management at Arkansas Tech University, said now is the time to act for stude...

McDaniel: Armed teacher info releasable under FOIAArkansas Attorney General Dustin McDaniel's office issued an opinion Monday saying the names of teachers who were trained as security guards and received stipends to purchase handguns cannot be withheld by the Clarksville School District. Superintendent David Hopkins has not fulfilled a Freedom of Information Act request submitted last week by The Courier for the names of the 22 district employees who each received $1,100 to purchase 9 mm pist...

AG opinion fetters Clarksville's plans for guns on campusCLARKSVILLE — This school district's $68,000 plan to arm 22 employees at five schools was put on hold Thursday following a legal opinion from the state's attorney general, but school officials are still exploring the potential for teachers and staff to carry weapons on school property. Superintendent David Hopkins said he will continue to consult with attorneys to discuss the viability of the district's emergency response team, comprised of 22...

Prosecutor: Without exemption, guns illegal on school groundsLocal prosecutors do not "anticipate any problems in Clarksville" after the state's attorney general said school districts could not train teachers and staff to carry weapons on campus. "Absent of fitting in with the security guard or law enforcement exception, no one needs to be going on a K-12 campus with a firearm for any purpose," Fifth Judicial District Prosecuting Attorney David Gibbons said Friday, one day after Arkansas Attorney Genera...